It’s my job

It may be a cliché to say it, but time flies when you are having fun--it’s true. I’ve been your humble--okay, maybe not so humble editor--for a little over a year now, and to say that it has been rewarding would be the understatement of the year.

I started writing for the Reader nearly a year and a half before I came on as editor, because I wanted to enhance my résumé and make a contribution to the art community. In doing so I killed two birds with one stone.

I returned to my hometown for a while, tried to figure out what my next step in life was after taking a huge misstep, and was ready to wash my hands of Fargo--and in my mind never come back. What can I say? Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned...

Somehow John and Raul had enough faith to take a chance on me as their editor and welcomed me into their wild wonderful HPR family with open arms, hot coffee, and daily hugs. Words cannot express my level of gratitude.

There is something to be said about a couple of radical dudes who took it upon themselves to carry the HPR torch from Grand Forks to Fargo and to provide a mouthpiece for the community for the past 21 years. Their level of support and devotion to our community is unparalleled.

I also need to give a shout out to our volunteers. They are the ones who help to fuel the fire with their writing and editing talents. We are always on the lookout for more. Talented writers are like pokemon to us. We gotta catch ‘em all.

Since coming onboard at HPR, I have had the chance to interview Alice Cooper, David Cross, Joe Satriani, Garth Brooks, and even received relationship advice from Trisha Yearwood (That was Raul’s idea--for the record). I’ve also had the opportunity to chat with some of our regional movers and shakers--and without them our area arts and culture wouldn’t be nearly as flavorful.

I even had the opportunity to scope out the scene in Oslo Norway. One could clearly see where some of our midwest mannerisms evolved from and we also learned that this ‘ol world isn’t so big afterall.

We’re all about gaining perspective and providing you with stories you won’t find anywhere else.

I find the stories that we unearth to be incredibly inspiring. It’s rewarding to speak to people who are passionate and believe in what they do--they live and breathe their passion. It’s hard not to walk away inspired. As editor selecting content I hope that you find some level of inspirado within the pages of the High Plains Reader. Otherwise we are not doing our jobs.

Pokeproblems

Maybe we can’t catch ‘em all. A lawsuit has been filed recently against Niantic Inc. and Nintendo Co. by a property owner in New Jersey claiming pokemon players have become a nuisance by coming to his home uninvited in a mad dash to catch pokemon.

This isn’t the first complaint of its kind. According to Bloomberg.com. Apparently there have been complaints against poke-enthusiasts wandering through the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, a cemetery in Alabama, and who knows how many other spots.

Don’t get us wrong, we love those adorable little pocket monsters as much as the next guy--and we are advocates regarding the rights of free range pokemon, but this brings about the question of.. Should private property owners take cues from our rural neighbors and start posting their land? Or do our pokemasters need to separate themselves from their screens and make a judgement call?

We did a bit of crowd sourcing on where is the oddest place you’ve found a pokemon? Some of our favorite answers in the area were..

“One of the cooks caught a pidgey on the flattop grill. He was immediately reprimanded for using his phone at work.”

“Sanford clinic in Moorhead while I was getting ADD meds. Seems appropriate.”

“The restricted area at the Post Office”

“My aunt’s living room”

They really are everywhere--no wonder you’ve gotta catch ‘em all. I mean we wouldn’t want to face a poke-overpopulation. That would just be cruel.

Hate on it or play all you want. It is a good excuse to get outside and meet other poke-masters, but please use caution. Don’t poke-play when you drive, remember to separate yourself from your screen enough to not get run over, and avoid public property no matter how majestic the pokemon--but most importantly...have fun and be safe.